A hearing in federal court today may clear up a dispute over when or if Fox River cleanup begins for the season following a court ruling that seemingly lets one major player off the hook.

U.S. District Judge William Griesbach on Tuesday issued a ruling that says Appleton Papers Inc. has no direct liability for dumping toxic polychlorinated biphenyls into the Fox River.

That apparently means Appleton Papers, which holds controlling interest in the company doing the cleanup, can't be forced to speed up operations, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Natural Resources want it to do.